Henry James was convicted of raping a woman in 1981 but cleared last month by DNA. he spent 30 years in prison.

Jefferson Parish prosecutors had joined James’ lawyers from The Innocence Project New Orleans in asking Judge G. Sullivan to throw out the case and order James’ immediate release.

The Innocence Project says James served the longest prison sentence of any Louisiana inmate cleared by DNA tests.

James, now 50, was sentenced to life in prison without parole after he was convicted of raping an acquaintance who lived near him in Westwego.

James’ lawyers say he had interacted with the woman several times and was with her husband a day before the attack. The woman initially told police she didn’t know her attacker, but she later picked James out of a lineup, according to his attorneys.

Jene O’Keefe Trigg, managing director of The Innocence Project New Orleans, said James’ first request was to eat jumbo shrimp.